Global pipe and tube producer Tenaris said Wednesday that next week the company will start up two new presses at its mill in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil, the result of an US$180 million investment. The new presses will allow Tenaris to manufacture tubes with wall thicknesses up to 1.5" with diameters between 12 3/4" and 48".
"The investment comes in response to the oil and gas industry, which is demanding products with ever more rigorous technical specifications. The new presses will manufacture tubes with greater wall thicknesses in more sophisticated steel grades, capable of performing in hostile deepwater projects, such as high pressure, sour or highly corrosive environments," says Renato Catallini Tenaris Area Manager for Brazil.
The company noted that an additional benefit of the new equipment is the significant reduction in energy consumption. Up to 35 percent savings can be achieved during the entire manufacturing process, due to the machinery's high efficiency motors, hydraulic pumps and state-of-the-art transformers.
Another highlight is the modern control system. The U- and O- forming presses contribute to increasing productivity and assuring product quality.
The company is also currently installing its fifth Research and Development Center, at Ilha do Fundão in Rio de Janeiro. Representing a US$38 million investment, the center is expected to be inaugurated by December 2013.